Worth Waiting For
by vcg73
Summary: Written for the 2013 "Kadam Week" prompt 'Future!Kadam'. Kurt and Adam's romantic relationship didn't last for long, but their friendship never wavered. Now the future is giving them both new opportunities and another chance at love.


In early 2013, Kurt Hummel and Adam Crawford met in the concourse at NYADA and became friends. Soon after that, they began dating. At first, it was mostly just casual outings or a cozy night in watching movies, but soon things grew more intimate. Love evolved quickly, but each of them had been hurt by an unfaithful lover in the past, and doubts began to set in.

After a couple of months, their relationship cooled and they agreed to back it off to friendship again. Neither one of them felt ready for "forever" at this point in their lives, and once they got up the nerve to discuss their feelings honestly, they were each relieved to find themselves on the same page. Their relationship as lovers ended amicably, and because it was mutual, they knew they would be able to remain close through the remainder of Adam's senior year.

Then Blaine came back into the picture, and Adam's hackles virtually rose. It was not that he was incapable of wishing Kurt well with another man, or that he was hoping they would get back together themselves. The simple truth was that he feared losing the spark of joy and confidence that had blossomed in Kurt over the months of their acquaintance. He did not want to see Kurt return to being the meek creature who had first enrolled at NYADA. The boy who had instinctively deflected compliments as though he did not know why anyone would ever think he deserved one. The person hesitant to believe that he could be considered a valuable contribution to the Apples, or to the university in general.

They had never spoken a great deal about Kurt's ex, but it was clear to Adam that their relationship had not been one of equal partners. Kurt deserved someone who would see him for everything that he was, and value every bit of it.

It was a great relief to Adam, therefore, when Kurt decided to remain single for the duration of that school year. Adam did not learn until later what had caused him to be so firm in his decision. It seemed that Blaine, caught up in some sort of romantic delusion, had sprung a marriage proposal on Kurt during one of his visits home. He had smugly assumed that Kurt being single again meant that would be only too happy to reconcile, this time for life. There had also been Kurt's rather humiliating discovery that he was virtually the last person in all of Lima to find out about these plans. Everyone else, barring his father, had treated this engagement like a done-deal. His ex-boyfriend's indignation when Kurt had given him a shocked "_No!" _had served as the final dousing of ice water over any remaining sentimental embers that might have been stirring between them.

Kurt had come back to New York a sadder, angrier, but ultimately wiser man, and had kept himself off the dating market for several months. Eventually though, he had gained a sense of humor about the entire mess and had started going out on dates with new men every now and again. At first, he stuck with group outings to clubs or restaurants, but eventually he allowed himself to accept a few of the frequently extended offers of dinner, or dancing, or more.

Not that Kurt threw himself about. Quite the contrary, much to Adam's relief. Apparently a word from his dad placed at just the right stage in his life had saved him from making that mistake, but he _did_ have a flourishing social life. Just nothing that could be classified as serious.

Adam, for his part, enjoyed an occasional date or night in someone's bed as well, but somehow he could not bring himself to start a serious relationship. He told himself that it was because he was heading back to England when his student visa wore out at the end of term, so there was no point in starting something he would not be able to see though. He told himself further that he did not really want to try again with Kurt, perhaps this time allowing his inner reserve to drop and showing him just how much passion he truly felt. He didn't . . . really!

Eventually he would even come to believe that.

It was another seven years before good luck and the right circumstances brought Adam Crawford back to the United States. He had managed to eke out a more than decent living as a playwright upon graduating from the prestigious New York Academy of Dramatic Art and one of his plays had been picked up by a visiting American producer who had come out looking for fresh talent, offering Adam the chance to come back to New York and help develop his show in person.

Adam had decided at once that this time his move would be permanent. He had set about that very same day filling out the paperwork needed to obtain an immigrant visa. He already knew that one day he would be applying for full citizenship. During his four years at University, he had fallen deeply in love with his host country and a few years back home had merely convinced him that England – as much as he would always love his birthplace and its people – just did not _feel_ like home to him anymore.

His father, a career officer with the British Navy, had fully understood the lure of foreign lands that he had passed down to his younger son, stoically wishing him well with his new life. Adam's mother had been less sanguine about losing her baby, but she had reluctantly given her blessing, understanding that he was a grown man who could make his own decisions.

Kurt Hummel had remained a faithful correspondent over the years, keeping Adam apprised of all the action he was missing at NYADA, New York, Ohio and anywhere else he happened to be hanging his always fashionable hat. Adam returned the favor with stories of Essex, London, the West End . . . wherever he was and whatever he was doing.

These days, Kurt was working steadily in theater, having graduated NYADA with honors and worked his way up over the years from chorus-boys, to bit players, to traveling with a touring cast of RENT, to finding work as a supporting actor in a straight off-Broadway play that had garnered him unexpected raves. He had recently written to Adam with great excitement that he had been cast in his very first Broadway feature, beating out dozens of young hopefuls to play Joe Hardy in a revival of the classic musical, "Damn Yankees". His talent, training and ever-youthful looks had finally paid off.

There was no way Adam was going to miss his dearest friend's moment of triumph. The timing was perfect. He had just secured the last of the necessary paperwork and arranged for a small flat in Brooklyn, not too far from the area where Kurt used to live with his college roommates. Kurt had been doing well enough professionally that he had been able to afford a place of his own in the Village, much closer to work.

Having not told Kurt he was coming, simply saying he would be away from home and unable to correspond easily for a few days, Adam completed his overseas move and got everything arranged to his liking. Then he headed down to the theater where Kurt's show would be making its debut in just one week's time. He felt absolutely thrilled when he spotted a giant poster rising above the streets of Manhattan, showing Kurt Hummel in all his athletic splendor, holding a baseball bat and looking petrified as he stood between a slyly smirking older man with devil horns on his head and a beautiful woman who was draped over his left arm.

Adam did a double-take upon recognizing the woman in the poster as Kurt's old roommate, Santana Lopez. Well, well, good to know that some friendships stood the test of time! Kurt had not mentioned that he was doing the show with Santana, and Adam could not help wondering if one of them had recommended the other to the casting director or if it was just an amazing coincidence.

On a whim, Adam stopped by a street vendor cart selling fresh flowers, purchasing a huge bouquet of daisies in a brilliant assortment of colors. Kurt had been quite fond of daisies back in the day. Hopefully he still was.

Adam had been waiting outside the theater for just a short while when the doors opened and the sound of several excitedly conversing voices drifted out into the street. Then he heard a laugh, a very familiar, very wonderful laugh.

"Kurt!" he called out.

The man looked up, shock in every feature, and Adam nearly felt his heart stop. He looked a little older now, in an entirely flattering way, but he was still the same beautiful Kurt.

Adam held out his flowers with a smile. "Allow me the honor of being your very first official stage door Johnny."

The words seemed to break the spell Kurt was under. He launched himself forward into Adam's waiting arms, laughing and crying and babbling, "I can't believe it! Oh, Adam!" over and over again. Finally, he pulled back to have a better look. Adam blushed as Kurt's wonderful blue-green eyes roamed over his face, taking in every inch and noting small change that the years had wrought. They had sent each other photos now and then, of course, but that was nothing like seeing each other in the flesh after nearly a decade apart. "You look great."

"So do you," Adam said sincerely. "I'd have recognized you anywhere."

Something about the way Kurt was studying him, with eyes full of joy and a surprising degree of hunger, made Adam's stomach explode in butterflies. He had always known, during his more introspective moments, that he had never truly got over this man, but he had always denied to himself any suspicion that Kurt felt the same way about him. Now, though, he began to wonder if perhaps he had been doing them both a disservice.

"I saw your poster."

Kurt groaned, laughing and hiding his face in Adam's shoulder before separating himself from the other man. "God. Isn't it awful? My dad just about laughed himself sick when he saw it. Said he finally had his revenge for all the baseball games I interrupted as a kid to lecture him about how ugly and unfashionable the uniforms were. Now here I am, about to spend eight shows a week in baseball caps and stirrup pants! I'll never live it down."

Adam laughed. He handed Kurt his bouquet. "For you, sir."

"Oh, Adam, thank you! They're beautiful. I can't believe you remembered how much I love Gerber daisies!"

Glad that he had made the right choice, Adam gave him a playful bow. "I always remember the important things in life. Don't you know that by now?"

Kurt laughed. "I'm flattered. So, where are you staying? Are you in town for long? Will you be here long enough to see the show? I can't believe you didn't tell me you were planning to visit!"

He smacked Adam gently with the flowers, careful not to hurt either of them. Adam just grinned at the flurry of questions. "I'm staying in Brooklyn. Of course I will be seeing the show; just you try to keep me away. And I'm not visiting. I'm in town for the duration."

"The dur. . . wait a minute, are you _living_ here?"

"As of about three hours ago, I am an official, green-card bearing resident of the state of New York."

A sound that could only be called a shriek of joy burst out of Kurt's mouth and he launched himself back into Adam's welcoming embrace. "If I wasn't so happy right now, I would kill you for springing this on me!"

"May I assume it was a welcome surprise then?"

Pulling back far enough to look at his face, Kurt stroked Adam's cheek, his eyes conveying a level of warmth and love that completely took Adam's breath away. "More than welcome," he whispered, a gleam of tears shining. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course you can."

"Are you going to spring any more surprises on me? Specifically, is there a husband or boyfriend you haven't told me about? Or anyone else who might get righteously angry if I were to follow my instincts and kiss you senseless right now?"

Adam gulped, his arms which had come up to circle Kurt's trim waist tightening instinctively. "Free as a bird. You?"

"Same. We good then?"

Adam smiled into Kurt's eyes. For the first time in years, he felt absolutely certain of what he wanted out of life. Of _whom_ he had always wanted, but stupidly allowed to get away. "We're perfect."

"I've always suspected we could be," Kurt told him, "If we just gave ourselves the chance."

"I'm not going anywhere. What are you doing for the next, say, fifty years?"

Kurt's grin was bright enough to power every bulb on Broadway. "If I have my way? This."

The rest of the world, all the years they had lost, all the worries of every day life, faded into the warm reality of Kurt Hummel's lips. His tongue. His strong, welcoming arms. They kissed for what felt like days, but also like no time at all.

Breaking off briefly to catch his breath, Kurt smiled. "Welcome home."

Adam kissed him again gently. "No place on earth I would rather be."

THE END


End file.
